Sean Hannity and Juan Williams are rejecting the context of a CNN report saying the Fox News host "once pulled a gun" on his colleague and pointed it at him while the two were off-camera.
"While discussing the issue of firearms, I showed my good friend Juan Williams my unloaded firearm in a professional and safe manner for educational purposes only," Hannity said in a statement to the Los Angeles Times.
"Every precautionary procedure that I have been trained in since the age of 11 was followed. I've had a conceal carry permit in five states for all of my adult life. Any other interpretation of this is outright false reporting."
The gun anecdote was touted Thursday in the headline on a CNN article that characterized the Trump-supporting host as "spoiling for a fight" in the name of entertainment.
Attributed to three sources familiar with the situation, the incident was cast by CNN as flowing out of a regular on-camera argument between the men, and stated that Hannity had "pointed" the gun at his colleague. (A prime tenet in gun safety is always keeping the weapon pointed in a safe direction.)
"The situation was thoroughly investigated and it was found that no one was put in any danger," Fox News said in a statement.
From CNN Money:
"Hannity's version of entertainment can go too far. Last year, after ending one of his many spirited on-air arguments with liberal contributor Juan Williams, Hannity pulled out a gun and pointed it directly at Williams, according to three sources with knowledge of the incident. He even turned on the laser sight, causing a red dot to bob around on Williams' body. (Hannity was just showing off, the sources said, but the unforeseen off-camera antic clearly disturbed Williams and others on set.)"
Williams also disagreed with the story's take.
"This incident is being sensationalized _ everything was under total control throughout and I never felt like I was put in harm's way," Williams said in a statement via Fox News and on Twitter. "It was clear that Sean put my safety and security above all else and we continue to be great friends."
Representatives for CNN did not immediately respond to a request for comment Friday.
